Amsterdam hospital shows films to relax patients during surgery

Amsterdam hospital AMC launched an experiment with showing patients movies during surgery in order to relax them. The first patient took part in the experiment on Tuesday and found it an "enriching" experience, according to the hospital. The patient had surgery on her ankle and watched the film De Nieuwe Wildernis while it happened. "I thought it was really enriching, it felt like luxury, watching a movie while everyone worked", the patient said afterwards. The aim of the experience is to see whether watching a film or listening to your favorite music while undergoing surgery with an epidural or local anesthesia, can help with relaxation or even recovery. Currently only healthy patients undergoing knee- or ankle surgery can take part in the experiment. Patients are often very stressed out by an approaching surgery, and having to listen to the sounds of the operating room around you doesn't help, professor Marlies Schijven, who is leading the experiment, said to newspaper AD. "IF we can make it more comfortable with video glasses, it is worth researching." Participating patients can watch anything they want, in theory. Though horror movies are not advised. And patients don't have to worry that the surgery will be done before their movie is - a coupon from Pathe Thuis means that they can finish watching the movie afterwards.